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Tag: Alzheimer

  • Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Fit To Stand Trial For Sex Trafficking: Officials

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prison officials say the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is fit to stand trial on federal sex trafficking charges after he was hospitalized with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and a traumatic brain injury.

    Michael Jeffries had been ordered to be hospitalized in May. But in a letter filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday, Blake Lott, the acting warden at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina said the 81-year-old is “now competent to stand trial.”

    Lott didn’t provide further details in the letter but said the center has provided a report to the judge handling the case. Jeffries had been discharged from FMC-Butner on Nov. 21, according to previous filings in the case.

    Brian Bieber, an attorney for Jeffries, responded that other doctors had previously found his client incompetent to proceed.

    “A doctor from the Bureau of Prisons is of a different opinion,” he said in an email Wednesday. “We look forward to the Judge hearing the medical evidence, and deciding on the appropriate course of action moving forward.”

    The letter comes as prosecutors and Jeffries’ lawyers are expected to confer by phone Thursday with U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury on the status of the case.

    Jeffries pleaded not guilty last year to federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.

    His lawyers had argued that the former executive required around-the-clock care and was unable to understand the nature and consequences of the case against him or to assist properly in his defense.

    They had said at least four medical professionals concluded that Jeffries’ cognitive issues were “progressive and incurable” and that he would not “regain his competency and cannot be restored to competency in the future.”

    Jeffries’ lawyers and prosecutors had requested that he be hospitalized in federal Bureau of Prisons custody so he could receive treatment that might allow his criminal case to proceed.

    Choudhury agreed, ordering him placed in a hospital for up to four months. Before then, Jeffries had been free on a $10 million bond.

    Prosecutors say Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man used the promise of modeling jobs to lure men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York City, the Hamptons and other locations. The charges echoed sexual misconduct accusations made in a civil case and the media in recent years.

    Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014 after more than two decades at the helm. His partner, Matthew Smith, has also pleaded not guilty and remains out on bond, as has their co-defendant, James Jacobson.

    Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

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  • Semaglutide fails to slow progression of Alzheimer’s in highly anticipated trials, Novo Nordisk says

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    An oral version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, failed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in closely watched trials, Novo Nordisk said Monday.In two Phase 3 trials of more than 3,800 adults receiving standard care for Alzheimer’s, the company evaluated whether an older pill form of semaglutide worked better than a placebo. The drug was shown to be safe and led to improvements in Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers, the company said, but the treatment did not delay disease progression.Novo had long treated Alzheimer’s as a long-shot bet for the popular GLP-1 drugs. Use of these drugs for diabetes and weight loss has exploded in recent years, and they have shown benefits for a wide range of additional health conditions, such as protecting the heart and kidneys, reducing sleep apnea and potentially helping with addiction.Smaller trials and animal studies had suggested GLP-1s might help slow cognitive decline or reduce neuro-inflammation but larger trials like Novo’s were needed to confirm whether patients saw actual benefits.”Based on the significant unmet need in Alzheimer’s disease as well as a number of indicative data points, we felt we had a responsibility to explore semaglutide’s potential, despite a low likelihood of success,” said Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer and executive vice president of Research and Development at Novo Nordisk said in a statement on Monday that thanked trial participants.A one-year extension of the trials will be discontinued, Novo said. Results from the trials have not yet been peer-reviewed or published but will be presented at upcoming scientific conferences.Novo has been facing increased competition in the weight loss market and recently announced lowered prices for some cash-paying patients using Ozempic and Wegovy. Novo shares fell Monday after the Alzheimer’s trial announcement.

    CNN —

    An oral version of semaglutide, the active ingredient in blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, failed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in closely watched trials, Novo Nordisk said Monday.

    In two Phase 3 trials of more than 3,800 adults receiving standard care for Alzheimer’s, the company evaluated whether an older pill form of semaglutide worked better than a placebo. The drug was shown to be safe and led to improvements in Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers, the company said, but the treatment did not delay disease progression.

    Novo had long treated Alzheimer’s as a long-shot bet for the popular GLP-1 drugs. Use of these drugs for diabetes and weight loss has exploded in recent years, and they have shown benefits for a wide range of additional health conditions, such as protecting the heart and kidneys, reducing sleep apnea and potentially helping with addiction.

    Smaller trials and animal studies had suggested GLP-1s might help slow cognitive decline or reduce neuro-inflammation but larger trials like Novo’s were needed to confirm whether patients saw actual benefits.

    “Based on the significant unmet need in Alzheimer’s disease as well as a number of indicative data points, we felt we had a responsibility to explore semaglutide’s potential, despite a low likelihood of success,” said Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer and executive vice president of Research and Development at Novo Nordisk said in a statement on Monday that thanked trial participants.

    A one-year extension of the trials will be discontinued, Novo said. Results from the trials have not yet been peer-reviewed or published but will be presented at upcoming scientific conferences.

    Novo has been facing increased competition in the weight loss market and recently announced lowered prices for some cash-paying patients using Ozempic and Wegovy. Novo shares fell Monday after the Alzheimer’s trial announcement.

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  • Salem High alumni’s children’s book, ‘Nana Nana’ brings heart, hope to Alzheimer’s discussion

    Salem High alumni’s children’s book, ‘Nana Nana’ brings heart, hope to Alzheimer’s discussion

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    Navigating the many challenges that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis brings is a problem that many people don’t want to think about until they have no other choice.

    Nate Bertone, a Salem High School alumnus, accomplished director, designer, playwright and producer, is hoping to show that the conversation around the disease can be approachable and light with the recent release of his first ever children’s book “Nana Nana”, which tells the story of a young boy and his relationship with his grandmother who is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s.

    Bertone held an event last Tuesday at North Shore Music Theatre, celebrating the national book launch of “Nana Nana”, with illustrations by James Claridades. The night included a discussion with Bertone on the creation of the book and a wider conversation with representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association and Hilarity for Clarity about how to use tools like comedy, music, theater, and books to open up difficult dialogues about topics like grief, loss, and Alzheimer’s.

    The story is told from the perspective of a child named Nate, as he and his grandmother navigate the many changes that are associated with her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. By portraying different experiences a child may have when interacting with a relative with Alzheimer’s, such as forgetting their favorite songs, name, and eventual changes in personality and behavior, Bertone hopes to give children a better understanding of the symptoms and show them it’s normal to have questions.

    Bertone’s grandmother, Gertrude Bertone, passed away in 2017 after battling with Alzheimer’s for seven years.

    “When I was a kid, a lot of my life was spent with my grandparents in Salem,” Bertone said. “They kind of took care of me while my parents were at work, and I just fell in love with them — they were like my best friends.”

    A year after she passed away, Bertone premiered a stage play at North Shore Music Theatre called “Letters from War”, which told the story of an aging grandmother battling the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s after years of living with her adult daughter.

    “For about two years, I was really confused by (Alzheimer’s) and really tried to figure out what the disease ultimately was,” Bertone said. “And being in theater, my first response was to turn those characteristics into a character in a play.”

    After an overwhelmingly positive reception, Bertone was hoping to share the same messages of hope and acceptance to a younger audience who typically would not see a stage show.

    “I was really trying to figure out how to tap into a new audience, and how do I use the tools that I have to help a younger audience that may not be going to the theater, and do it in a way that can outlast any stage show?” he said.

    Beyond just providing children a more personalized understanding of Alzheimer’s, Bertone also saw the value in telling the story through a child’s perspective due to their inquisitive minds and capacity for “playing pretend”, which allows them to be more present and understanding when interacting with people with the disease.

    “To those of us who have experienced the sadness caused by Alzheimer’s, this book is so special,” Jay Allen, a country artist, songwriter and philanthropist, said at the book launch on Tuesday. “Because of Nate’s talent and dedication, I’m confident that this witty and heart-felt work of art will bless, comfort, and educate many young lives.”

    “As someone who lost my beloved grandmother to Alzheimer’s, I was warmed to the core by Nate’s loving tribute to his Nana,” said Wayne Brady, an Emmy award winning actor, singer, writer, and producer. “Being able to have a conversation about Alzheimer’s in this form, with children, is such a blessing. How wonderful to be able to teach that even though our loved ones may not remember the times we’ve had — we can remember for them.”

    The book is now available for purchase on Amazon or through the publisher, Susan Schadt Press’ website at susanschadtpress.com/nana-nana.

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    By Michael McHugh | Staff Writer

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  • Nanoparticle-Delivered RNA Fights Brain Inflammation

    Nanoparticle-Delivered RNA Fights Brain Inflammation

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    Newswise — Some Covid-19 vaccines safely and effectively used lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver messenger RNA to cells. A new MIT study shows that different nanoparticles could be used for a potential Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapy. In tests in multiple mouse models and with cultured human cells, a newly tailored LNP formulation effectively delivered small interfering RNA (siRNA) to the brain’s microglia immune cells to suppress expression of a protein linked to excessive inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.

    In a prior study the researchers showed that blocking the consequences of PU.1 protein activity helps to reduce Alzheimer’s disease-related neuroinflammation and pathology. The new results, reported in the journal Advanced Materials (impact factor 29.4 ) achieves a reduction in inflammation by directly tamping down expression of the Spi1 gene that encodes PU.1. More generally, the new study also demonstrates a new way to deliver RNA to microglia, which have been difficult to target so far.

     Study co-senior author Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor of Neuroscience and Director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Aging Brain Initiative, said she hypothesized that LNPs might work as a way to bring siRNA into microglia because the cells, which clear waste in the brain, have a strong proclivity to uptake lipid molecules. She discussed this with Robert Langer, David Koch Institute Professor, who widely known for his seminal work on nanoparticle drug delivery, They decided to test the idea of reducing PU.1 expression with an LNP-delivered siRNA.

     “I still remember the day when I asked to meet with Bob to discuss the idea of testing LNPs as a payload to target inflammatory microglia,” said Tsai, a faculty member in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. “I am very grateful to The JPB Foundation who supported this idea without any preliminary evidence.”

    Langer Lab graduate student Jason Andresen and former Tsai Lab postdoc William Ralvenius led the work and are the study’s co-lead authors. Owen Fenton, a former Langer Lab postdoc who is now an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is a co-corresponding author along with Tsai and Langer. Langer is a Professor in Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering and the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.

    Perfecting a particle

    The simplest way to test whether siRNA could therapeutically suppress PU.1 expression would have been to make use of an already available delivery device, but one of the first discoveries in the study is that none of eight commercially available reagents could safely and effectively transfect cultured human microglia-like cells in the lab.

    Instead the team had to optimize an LNP to do the job. LNPs have four main components and by changing the structures of two of them, and by varying the ratio of lipids to RNA, the researchers were able to come up with seven formulations to try. Importantly, their testing included trying their formulations on cultured microglia that they had induced into an inflammatory state. That state, after all, is the one in which the proposed treatment is needed.

    Among the seven candidates, one the team named “MG-LNP” stood out for its especially high delivery efficiency and safety of a test RNA cargo.

    What works in a dish sometimes doesn’t work in a living organism, so the team next tested their LNP formulations’ effectiveness and safety in mice. Testing two different methods of injection, into the body or into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), they found that injection into the CSF ensured much greater efficacy in targeting microglia without affecting cells in other organs. Among the seven formulations, MG-LNP again proved the most effective at transfecting microglia. Langer said he believes this could potentially open new ways of treating certain brain diseases with nanoparticles someday. 

    A targeted therapy

    Once they knew MG-LNP could deliver a test cargo to microglia both in human cell cultures and mice, the scientists then tested whether using it to deliver a PU.1-suppressing siRNA could reduce inflammation in microglia. In the cell cultures, a relatively low dose achieved a 42 percent reduction of PU.1 expression (which is good because microglia need at least some PU.1 to live). Indeed MG-LNP transfection did not cause the cells any harm. It also significantly reduced the transcription of the genes that PU.1 expression increases in microglia, indicating that it can reduce multiple inflammatory markers.

    In all these measures, and others, MG-LNP outperformed a commercially available reagent called RNAiMAX that the scientists tested in parallel.

    “These findings support the use of MG-LNP-mediated anti-PU.1 siRNA delivery as a potential therapy for neuroinflammatory diseases,” the researchers wrote.

    The final set of tests evaluated MG-LNP’s performance delivering the siRNA in two mouse models of inflammation in the brain. In one, mice were exposed to LPS, a molecule that simulates infection and stimulates a systemic inflammation response. In the other model, mice exhibit severe neurodegeneration and inflammation when an enzyme called CDK5 becomes hyperactivated by a protein called p25.

    In both models, injection of MG-LNPs carrying the anti-PU.1 siRNA reduced expression of PU.1 and inflammatory markers, much like in the cultured human cells.

    “MG-LNP delivery of anti-PU.1 siRNA can potentially be used as an anti-inflammatory therapeutic in mice with systemic inflammation an in the CK-p25 mouse model of AD-like neuroinflammation,” the scientists concluded, calling the results a “proof-of-principle.” More testing will be required before the idea could be tried in human patients.

    In addition to Andresen, Ralvenius, Langer, Tsai and Owen, the paper’s other authors are Margaret Huston, Jay Penney and Julia Maeve Bonner.

    In addition to the The JPB Foundation and The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, the Robert and Renee Belfer Family, Eduardo Eurnekian, Lester A. Gimpelson, Jay L. and Carroll Miller, the Koch Institute, the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association provided funding for the study.

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    Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT

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  • Wake Forest University School of Medicine Launches $100 Million Philanthropic Campaign for Research

    Wake Forest University School of Medicine Launches $100 Million Philanthropic Campaign for Research

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    Newswise — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nov. 1, 2023 – Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, the academic core of Advocate Health, are launching their largest campaign for research. Designed with health equity at the forefront, funds raised in this campaign will transform health care for patients, communities and the next generation of health care leaders by integrating research with clinical care while enhancing the speed with which new ideas move from research labs to patients’ bedsides and beyond.

    The campaign – called ENVISION, now in its public phase, will take place over the next two years. The goal is to raise at least $100 million to support research and accelerate the discoveries which provide hope and, ultimately, improved care.

    Philanthropic funds raised during the ENVISION campaign will support research throughout an individual’s lifespan with key focus areas in health equity; Alzheimer’s disease; cancer; cardiovascular disease; diabetes, obesity and metabolism; healthy aging and mobility; neurosciences; and regenerative medicine.

    “Our research and discoveries serve as a catalyst for improved patient care in the communities we serve and far beyond,” said Dr. Ebony Boulware, dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and chief science officer and vice chief academic officer of Advocate Health. 

    “Investing in this campaign today is an investment in the future of medicine,” said Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, CEO and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, chief academic officer and executive vice president of Advocate Health and executive vice president for health affairs at Wake Forest University. “Through research, equipment, technology, community outreach and funding to support research, we will make new discoveries and translate those findings to the bedside to help patients have the best outcomes possible.”

    The ENVISION campaign provides opportunities to support research and the future of medicine from investing in startup research, upfitting research space and supporting student scholarship to endowing positions to further advance research and attract the best researchers and faculty members to Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

    Examples of philanthropic support include the Jarrahi Family Endowed Research Scholars Fund in Geroscience Innovation at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a recent partnership with The Ambrose Monell Foundation.

    Dr. Ali Jarrahi, a retired psychiatrist, established a fund to support early-career, research-intensive faculty focused on geroscience, which is the study of the biology of aging and aging-related diseases. An initial emphasis of Jarrahi’s fund is on research into aging on a cellular level and Alzheimer’s disease.

    “It’s been a blessing to do,” Jarrahi said. “This was $1 million, and who knows what we might find out? The success of research is not always just in the amount of money. Young researchers have a lot of ideas and a lot of enthusiasm, but not always the funds and resources they need.”

    Maia Monell, with The Ambrose Monell Foundation and co-founder and chief revenue officer at Nav.it, recently supported the ENVISION campaign focusing on Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Geroscience Healthspan Initiative. The Ambrose Monell Foundation focuses on early stage research and social initiatives that have the opportunity to build a more creative, equitable and innovative society.

    “We are thrilled to support the Geroscience Healthspan Initiative. We have a longstanding commitment to supporting initiatives that are working to advance medical breakthroughs,” said Maia Monell of The Ambrose Monell Foundation. “We profoundly believe in the power of geroscience and its potential to revolutionize our understanding of mortal diseases. By focusing on aging, we hope this work will start to better anticipate and potentially prevent conditions such as cancer, reaffirming our dedication to promoting longevity and health.”

    “We have all been impacted by research in some way and knowing we have teams of researchers here working on the future delivery of health care is part of who we are as the city of innovation,” said Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines. “The growth of the research established at Wake Forest University School of Medicine positively impacts our city, the communities of Advocate Health and, indeed, health care across the country.”

    “Philanthropic support allows research to happen at a faster pace, and we are grateful for the support of our region and beyond as we launch our ENVISION campaign,” said Lisa Marshall, chief philanthropy officer and vice president at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.  “With the inspiring support from corporations, foundations and individuals across the country, we have successfully raised over $50 million of the $100 million goal in the campaign to date.

    Those who would like more information and would like to contribute to ENVISION may visit Giving.WakeHealth.edu/ENVISION or contact the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations at 336-716-4589. 

     

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    Wake Forest University School of Medicine

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  • Number of dementia cases could be 42% higher than previously estimated by 2040

    Number of dementia cases could be 42% higher than previously estimated by 2040

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    Newswise — Up to 1.7 million people could be living with dementia in England and Wales by 2040 – over 40% more than previously forecast – finds a new UCL-led study.

    Previous studies, based on data up to 2010, showed that dementia incidence had declined in high-income countries. However, the new research, published in The Lancet Public Health, indicates that dementia incidence started to increase in England and Wales after 2008.

    Based on this estimated upward incidence trend, researchers project that the number of people with dementia in England and Wales may be significantly higher than expected in the future.

    According to previous research* in England and Wales, the number of people living with dementia was previously predicted to increase by 57% from 0.77 million in 2016 to 1.2 million in 2040.

    However, the new research, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council, suggests that this figure could be as high as 1.7 million.

    Researchers examined nine waves of data from people over the age of 50 and living in private households in England between 2002 and 2019, from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

    They found that the number of people with dementia decreased by 28.8% between 2002 and 2008. However, it increased again by 25.2% between 2008 and 2016.

    A similar non-linear pattern was observed across subgroups according to age, sex, and educational attainment.

    Most notably, researchers found that disparities in the rate of dementia incidence was increasing between education groups, as there was both a slower decline in 2002-2008 and a faster increase after 2008 in participants with lower educational attainment.

    If the incidence rate increases as fast as what was observed between 2008 to 2016 (a 2.8% increase per year) researchers predict that the number of people with dementia in England and Wales is set to increase to 1.7 million by 2040 – approximately twice the number in 2023. This compares to an estimate of one million people if dementia rates had continued to decline as previously reported.

    Lead author, Dr Yuntao Chen (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care), said: “It is shocking to think that the number of people living with dementia by 2040 may be up to 70% higher than if dementia incidence had continued to decline.

    “Not only will this have a devastating effect on the lives of those involved but it will also put a considerably larger burden on health and social care than current forecasts predict.

    “Continued monitoring of the incidence trend will be crucial in shaping social care policy.”

    Although an increase in dementia cases has often been attributed to an ageing population, the researchers also found that the rate of dementia onset within older age groups is also increasing.

    Principal investigator, Professor Eric Brunner (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care), said: “Our research has exposed that dementia is likely to be a more urgent policy problem than previously recognised – even if the current trend continues for just a few years.

    “We have found that not only is the ageing population a major driver of the trend in England and Wales but also the number of people developing dementia within older age groups is increasing.

    “We don’t know how long this pattern will continue but the UK needs to be prepared so we can ensure that everyone affected, whatever their financial circumstances, is able to access the help and support that they need.”

    James White, Alzheimer’s Society’s Head of National Influencing, commented: “Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time. Statistics from this Lancet Public Health study are a stark reminder that, without action, the individual and economic devastation caused by dementia shows no sign of stopping.

    “We know that one in three people born in the UK today will develop this terminal condition in their lifetime. With prevalence on the rise, improving diagnosis has never been more important. Everyone living with dementia must have access to a timely, accurate and specific diagnosis, and who you are or where you live should have no bearing on this. The figures also make it clear that pressure on our already struggling social care system is only going to increase. Quality social care can make a huge difference to people’s lives, but we know that people with dementia – who are the biggest users of social care – are struggling with a care system that’s costly, difficult to access, and too often not tailored to their needs.”

    Notes to Editors

    * https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j2856

    For more information, please contact Chris Lane, UCL Media Relations. T: +44 (0)20 7679 9222 / +44 (0)7717 728 648, E: [email protected]   

     

    Yuntao Chen, Piotr Bandosz, George Stoye, Yuyang Liu, Yanjuan Wu, Sophia Lobanov-Rostovsky, Eric French, Mika Kivimaki, Gill Livingston, Jing Liao, Eric J Brunner, ‘Dementia incidence trend in England and Wales, 2002-19, and projection for dementia burden to 2040: analysis of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing’, will be published in The Lancet Public Health on 26th October at 23:30 UK time and is under a strict embargo until this time.  

    The DOI for this paper will be: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00214-1 and the paper will be published at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00214-1/fulltext.

    About UCL – London’s Global University

    UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.

    Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world’s best minds. Our community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries and makes a positive impact on real world problems.

    The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024, we are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact.

    We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators and contributors.  

    For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.

    We were the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL.

    www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow @uclnews on Twitter | Read news at www.ucl.ac.uk/news/ | Listen to UCL podcasts on SoundCloud | View images on Flickr | Find out what’s on at UCL Minds

    About the Economic and Social Research Council

    The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. We fund world-leading research, data and postgraduate training in the economic, behavioural, social and data sciences to understand people and the world around us. Our work helps raise productivity, address climate change, improve public services and generate a prosperous, inclusive, healthy and secure society. www.ukri.org/esrc

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  • After 50 years of pioneering research in rural Louisiana, study pivots from heart to brain

    After 50 years of pioneering research in rural Louisiana, study pivots from heart to brain

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    Newswise — Fifty years ago, in the fall of 1973, a landmark study began in the rural Louisiana town of Bogalusa that would change how the world sees heart disease. 

    The Bogalusa Heart Study, which tracked the health of the town’s children into adulthood, found for the first time that heart disease begins in childhood. 

    The community-wide study pioneered a new approach to pediatrics by proving that high blood pressure and high cholesterol in children doesn’t fade with age, with no intervention, and could result in hypertension and heart disease later in life. One of the longest-running biracial health studies in the world, it was also one of the first to identify race-based health disparities between Black and White participants. 

    “This study had a global impact on healthcare and left a tremendous public health legacy,” said Lydia Bazzano, principal investigator of the Bogalusa Heart Study and director of the Center for Lifespan Epidemiology Research at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. “There’s never going to be a clinical trial that proves that childhood intervention results in improvements 40-50 years later. This is the best evidence we have, and I don’t know if there will ever be another study like this.” 

    This fall, Tulane University is celebrating 50 years of groundbreaking research by the Bogalusa Heart Study, while also looking ahead to what the study’s next 50 years can achieve. 

    The Bogalusa Heart Study – in collaboration with researchers from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center – received a $14.5 million grant from the National Institute on Aging in 2019 to investigate whether high blood sugar levels in early life can later lead to declines in brain health. 

    With a now middle-aged cohort of participants, Bazzano said she believes Bogalusa “can do the same thing for brain health in the next 50 years that we did for heart health in the last 50.”

    “It all starts with the heart,” Bazzano said. “The brain is one of the first stops for blood that comes from the heart, so it made sense to look at how vascular aging impacts the brain.”

    Early results indicate that participants who perform worse on neuropsychological testing previously showed more heart disease risk factors. Brain scans of middle-aged participants also revealed white brain lesions on those who, as young adults, had slightly elevated blood sugar levels. These lesions, called white matter hyperintensities, indicate not enough oxygen and nutrients are reaching the smallest blood vessels in the brain and are associated with cognitive decline.

    Researchers are also working to identify blood biomarkers of dementia in the hopes of one day being able to identify risk of dementia via a blood test. 

    “Just as childhood was not thought of as a time when heart disease would start, early middle age is not seen as time when dementia might originate,” Bazzano said. “This could have a revolutionary effect on the field.” 

    The Bogalusa Heart Study has included more than 16,000 participants since it was started by pediatric cardiologist and Tulane University graduate Dr. Gerald Berenson. The data collected continues to be vital to research around nutrition, childhood obesity and genetic risk factors. 

    While the longevity of the Bogalusa Heart Study can be partly attributed to the dedication of its researchers, the study’s historic streak may have ended long ago without its deep roots in the community. 

    Joe Culpepper, a native and former police chief of Bogalusa, was 11 years old when he and 5,000 children first began receiving health screenings in 1973. A long white trailer of lab equipment pulled up to his elementary school. Researchers organized students into groups with bracelets of colored yarn. Blood pressure was checked. Weight was measured. Blood was drawn. 

    The check-ups continued as years went on, but Culpepper had no idea that the findings of the study would have global implications. 

    “I still go to get tests done. One of my brothers is still actively participating. Friends in Baton Rouge occasionally come back to Bogalusa to participate, and my sister-in-law now manages the lab,” Culpepper said. “We’re all proud of the study, and the medical knowledge gained from studying folks like me our whole lives hopefully makes things better for the kids coming up.” 

    At the Bogalusa Heart Study lab, two current employees are former participants in the study. Another, Phylis Cothern, has been a lab technician for 10 years, but before her, her mother began working for the study in 1972, when the pilot was underway. Now, Cothern’s two daughters and her granddaughter are study participants. 

    “We depend on the community and the community depends on us. It’s overwhelming the amount of good this study has done for the community, but I’m just honored to be a part of the legacy,” Cothern said. 

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    Tulane University

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  • Infographic: In 2023, Dementia Risks Are Everywhere, It Seems

    Infographic: In 2023, Dementia Risks Are Everywhere, It Seems

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    Sept. 4, 2023 – A lot of researchers are searching for risk factors that increase the chance someone will develop

    dementia

    or, specifically, Alzheimer’s disease. That’s good, because the more we know about potential risks, the more we may be able to prevent it. 


    There is no cure for dementia, and an estimated 10% of Americans over age 65 have it, including 6.7 million with Alzheimer’s disease. 


    And, moving forward, these numbers are expected to rise. 


    A treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease,

    lecanemab

    , was approved by the FDA this year, giving some people hope. But what about the “worried well,” people who are cognitively normal and would like to prevent dementia? 


    Without definitive studies to say, “This causes dementia,” investigators look for associations. It’s an early form of research that can reveal a link between a risk factor and dementia/Alzheimer’s. It doesn’t mean things like sleep apnea, constipation, or childhood nightmares

    definitely cause

    dementia. But these studies can help point future researchers in the right direction. 


    WebMD and our sister site for health care professionals, Medscape, have published a number of these association studies since the beginning of this year. The following infographic, created by Emily Berry, includes some of the highlights. And after the graphic you’ll find links to the stories about dementia risks that we’ve written in 2023. Note: Medscape requires registration to read stories, but it’s free. 


    dementia/alzheimer's infographic


    August:



    July:



    June:



    May:



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  • Stay informed on women’s health issues in the Women’s Helth channel

    Stay informed on women’s health issues in the Women’s Helth channel

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    According to a recently published article on Axios, women have higher out-of-pocket expenses for their health care than men despite having similar health insurance. Even when removing maternity care from the equation, women each year are paying $15.4 billion more out of pocket for health care. This so-called ‘Pink tax’ reflects the penalty levied on females for everything from tampons and razors—is alive and well in the U.S. healthcare system. Below are some of the latest headlines in the Women’s Health channel on Newswise. 

    A New AI Model Has Been Developed to Improve Accuracy of Breast Cancer Tumor Removal

    -University of North Carolina School of Medicine

    Social media and low self-compassion behind rise in cosmetic surgery

    -University of South Australia

    Exposure to extreme heat associated with adverse health outcomes for pregnant women

    -University of California, Irvine

    Iron supplements provided in prenatal visits improved outcomes

    -UT Southwestern Medical Center

    Study finds the placenta holds answers to many unexplained pregnancy losses

    -Yale University

    Witchcraft accusations an ‘occupational hazard’ for female workers in early modern England

    -University of Cambridge

    Substance Abuse in Pregnancy Doubles Cardiovascular Risk

    -Cedars-Sinai

    In major breakthrough, researchers close in on preeclampsia cure

    -University of Western Ontario (now Western University)

    When it comes to starting a family, timing is everything

    -University of Oxford

    Using personalized medicine to target gynecological cancers

    -University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

    Internet searches increased for self-managed abortions when Roe vs. Wade was overturned

    -University of California, Irvine

    Stem cell-derived components may treat underlying causes of PCOS

    -University of Chicago Medical Center

    High levels of particulate air pollution associated with increased breast cancer incidence

    -National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

     

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    Newswise

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  • Do cyanobacteria make the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)?

    Do cyanobacteria make the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)?

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    Newswise — β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a non-protein amino acid initially discovered in Cycas in 1967, has gained attention for its potential association with neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Cyanobacteria are thought to be responsible for BMAA production, and a hypothesis suggests it accumulates in the brain tissue of flying foxes and humans through the food chain, possibly contributing to higher neurodegenerative disease rates among Guam’s indigenous population. However, controversy surrounds both BMAA production and its role in neurodegenerative diseases due to conflicting data and ongoing disputes over BMAA detection in biological samples, including cyanobacteria. The absence of a standardized detection method compounds the issue, with inconsistent results even from identical methods across different laboratories.

    “Believers can detect BMAA in all samples, while non-believers found none and remain skeptical”, says Cheng-Cai Zhang, co-corresponding author of a new study published in Water Biology and Security.

    Interestingly, the authors had previously demonstrated the toxicity of BMAA to various cyanobacterial species, a finding that appeared contradictory to these organisms’ ability to produce this compound. In their recent study, the researchers created an amino acid transport mutant incapable of absorbing BMAA.

    “Using this mutant as a control, we observed that the detection method effectively identified BMAA when cells took up the compound. However, in the absence of externally added BMAA, no signal for BMAA was detectable,” shared Zhang.

    This approach served to validate their detection method, demonstrating its sensitivity comparable to that reported in existing literature. However, the team encountered a signal that closely resembled BMAA but was, in fact, identified as DAB, a commonly occurring BMAA isomer.

    “When we applied this highly sensitive method to a broad collection of laboratory-cultured strains and natural cyanobacterial bloom samples, none of them yielded detectable levels of BMAA,” said Zhang.

    These new findings, in conjunction with BMAA’s known toxicity, raises significant doubts regarding its cyanobacterial origin. They also underscore the importance of incorporating single ion chromatograms for distinguishing BMAA from DAB or other isomers in future BMAA research.

    ###

    References

    DOI

    10.1016/j.watbs.2023.100208

    Original Source URL

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watbs.2023.100208

    Funding information

    Funded by the Institute of Hydrobiology, CAS

    Journal

    Water Biology and Security

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    Chinese Academy of Sciences

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  • Sleep-Based Phototherapy for Alzheimer’s

    Sleep-Based Phototherapy for Alzheimer’s

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    Newswise — It is well known that sleep is the best medication. However, it is still unknown why the brain recovers better in sleep and whether these processes can be controlled. Recent discoveries have shown that the lymphatic system of the brain is activated during sleep, which contributes to the removal of metabolites, toxins and unnecessary molecules from its tissues. Sleep disturbance contributes to the deposition of metabolites in the central nervous system (CNS). For example, sleep is a biomarker for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to the fact that the toxic metabolite beta-amyloid is excreted from brain tissue during sleep. Sleep deprivation leads to the accumulation of toxin in the CNS, which over time can lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

    In this pilot study, the researchers have shown that non-invasive sleep photobiomodulation technology can effectively increase lymphatic excretion of beta-amyloid from the brain tissues of mice with Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, photobiomodulation in sleep has more significant therapeutic effects than in wakefulness. Photobiomodulation during sleep turns the brain into a washing machine, helping to cleanse its tissues of toxic beta-amyloid and increase resistance to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The work entitled “Mechanisms of phototherapy of Alzheimer’s disease during sleep and wakefulness: the role of the meningeal lymphatics” was published on Frontiers of Optoelectronics (published on Sep. 18, 2023).

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    Higher Education Press

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  • Alerta para los expertos: avances en el tratamiento para el alzhéimer mediante un enfoque integral

    Alerta para los expertos: avances en el tratamiento para el alzhéimer mediante un enfoque integral

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    Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minnesota — El lecanemab ha llamado la atención en todo el mundo por ser el medicamento aprobado recientemente para la enfermedad de Alzheimer y el primer tratamiento aprobado por la FDA para el alzhéimer en más de 20 años. Otro medicamento de la misma clase, el donanemab, está en revisión para una aprobación similar. Se espera que la aprobación sea dentro de este año. El Dr. Vijay Ramanan, neurólogo conductual de Mayo Clinic en Rochester, Minnesota, sostiene que es importante ver estas opciones recientes como posibles partes de un plan de tratamiento integral.

    “Intentamos que ninguna opción de tratamiento se trate en una conversación con los pacientes como un todo o nada, ya que es necesario que el manejo de la enfermedad de Alzheimer sea un proceso integral”, aclara el Dr. Ramanan.

    Con los nuevos desarrollos en cuanto a opciones de tratamiento para la enfermedad de Alzheimer, que septiembre sea el Mes del alzhéimer se vuelve particularmente oportuno.

    Lo que el nuevo medicamento para el alzhéimer significa para los pacientes

    El lecanemab demuestra potencial para eliminar las placas amiloides del cerebro, que son marcadores tempranos de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. En este ensayo clínico, el tratamiento con lecanemab durante 18 meses retrasó moderadamente la progresión del deterioro cognitivo, pero el Dr. Ramanan considera que no es para todos.

    “El lecanemab solamente es adecuado para pacientes que tienen grados relativamente leves confirmados de la enfermedad de Alzheimer”, afirma. “No existe evidencia que respalde la administración del fármaco en pacientes con grados más avanzados de la enfermedad o en pacientes con funcionamiento cognitivo normal”.

    Los pacientes recibirán lecanemab cada dos semanas por vía intravenosa, y se les realizarán imágenes por resonancia magnética en forma regular para saber si hay hinchazón o sangrado cerebral, un efecto secundario conocido como anomalías por imágenes relacionadas con amiloide, o ARIA.

    “La expectativa de tener algo que retrase la progresión de la enfermedad eliminando la placa amiloide, un elemento importante de la enfermedad, hace, con justa razón, que el medicamento sea de interés”, explica el Dr. Ramanan. “Pero estos fármacos son complejos y no son adecuados para todos los pacientes, por eso resaltamos la necesidad de tener conversaciones minuciosas e individualizadas en el consultorio”.

    La importancia del apoyo familiar y las estrategias en el estilo de vida

    Para algunos pacientes para los que se considera la administración del lecanemab, comprometerse a las infusiones regulares y a las imágenes por resonancia magnética periódicas podría no ser compatible con su estilo de vida o sus objetivos actuales, según afirma el Dr. Ramanan. Es necesario mantener conversaciones en las que se tomen decisiones sobre estas particularidades en conjunto con los pacientes y sus seres queridos.

    Incluso si el paciente no procede con el nuevo medicamento, puede incorporar otros tratamientos con medicamentos para la enfermedad de Alzheimer y estrategias de estilo de vida para ayudar al cerebro. Estos hábitos de estilo de vida incluyen la actividad física regular, continuar el contacto social, mantenerse mentalmente activo, seguir una alimentación equilibrada y dormir bien.

    “Esto parece básico, pero las prácticas esenciales que son buenas para el corazón y el cerebro tienen un impacto en la salud a largo plazo”, asegura el Dr. Ramanan.

    El futuro del tratamiento del alzhéimer

    El Dr. Ramanan sostiene que, en el futuro, los pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer podrían necesitar combinaciones específicas de medicamentos dependiendo de sus síntomas y otros factores, como pacientes con presión arterial alta, VIH u otras enfermedades complejas.

    De acuerdo con el Dr. Ramanan, la investigación sobre la proteína tau, que se acumula en el cerebro, está generando gran interés en el área. La manera y el momento en el que la proteína tau se acumula en el cerebro están estrechamente relacionadas con los tipos y el momento de aparición de los síntomas. Se están realizando ensayos clínicos tempranos para ver si administrar fármacos al sistema nervioso puede reducir la acumulación de la proteína tau, además de otras estrategias.

    “Reconocemos que aún no hay curas para el alzhéimer y las enfermedades relacionadas, y que tampoco hay estrategias completas de prevención para ellas”, sostiene el doctor. “No obstante, al igual que con otras enfermedades, el futuro seguramente requerirá una combinación de estrategias de estilo de vida y, esperamos, tratamientos con medicamentos cada vez mejores”.

     

    ###

    Información sobre Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Clinic es una organización sin fines de lucro, dedicada a innovar la práctica clínica, la educación y la investigación, así como a ofrecer pericia, compasión y respuestas a todos los que necesitan recobrar la salud. Visite la Red Informativa de Mayo Clinic para leer más noticias sobre Mayo Clinic.

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  • People taking adult education classes run lower risk of dementia

    People taking adult education classes run lower risk of dementia

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    Newswise — How can we best keep our brain fit as we grow older? It’s well known that regular cognitive activity, for example brainteasers, sudokus, or certain video games in middle and old age tends to protect against cognitive decline and dementias like Alzheimer’s. But many of us regularly engage in adult education classes, for example learning a language or a new skill. Is such adult education likewise associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia?

    Yes, according to researchers from the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan who have shown for the first time, in a new study in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

    “Here we show that people who take adult education classes have a lower risk of developing dementia five years later,” said Dr Hikaru Takeuchi, the study’s first author. “Adult education is likewise associated with better preservation of nonverbal reasoning with increasing age.”

    UK Biobank

    Takeuchi and his co-author, Dr Ryuta Kawashima, a professor at the same institute, analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which holds genetic, health, and medical information from approximately half a million British volunteers, of which 282,421 participants were analyzed for this study. These had been enrolled between 2006 and 2010, when between 40 and 69 years old. On average, they had been followed for seven years by the time of the present study.

    Based on their genotype at 133 relevant single-locus polymorphisms (SNPs) in their DNA, participants were given an individual predictive ‘polygenic risk score’ for dementia. Participants self-reported if they took any adult education classes, without specifying the frequency, subject, or academic level.

    The authors focused on data from the enrollment visit and third assessment visit,  between 2014 and 2018. At those visits, participants were given a battery of psychological and cognitive tests, for example for fluid intelligence, visuospatial memory, and reaction time.

    1.1% of participants in the sample developed dementia over the study’s time window.

    Reduced risk of developing dementia

    Takeuchi and Kawashima showed that participants who were taking part in adult education at enrollment had 19% lower risk of developing dementia than participants who did not. This held true for both Caucasian people and those of other ethnicities.

    Importantly, results were similar when participants with a history of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or mental illness were excluded. This means that the observed lower risk wasn’t exclusively due participants with incipient dementia being prevented from following adult education by symptoms of these known co-morbidities.

    The results also showed that participants who took part in adult education classes kept up their fluid intelligence and nonverbal reasoning performance better than peers who did not. However, adult education didn’t affect the preservation of visuospatial memory or reaction time.

    Randomized clinical trials necessary

    “One possibility is that engaging in intellectual activities has positive results on the nervous system, which in turn may prevent dementia. But ours is an observational longitudinal study, so if a direct causal relationship exists between adult education and a lower risk of dementia, it could be in either direction,” said Dr Ryuta Kawashima, the study’s final author and a professor at the same institute.

    Takeuchi proposed that a randomized clinical trial be done to prove any protective effect of adult education.

    “This could take the form of a controlled trial where one group of participants is encouraged to participate in an adult education class, while the other is encouraged to participate in a control intervention with equivalent social interaction, but without education,“ said Takeuchi.

     

    ###                                                                                                

     

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    Frontiers

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  • Walk Daily for Health and Disease Prevention, Expert Says

    Walk Daily for Health and Disease Prevention, Expert Says

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    “Walking every day for at least 15-20 minutes can provide tremendous beneficial effects on general health,” says Domenico Praticò, M.D., Professor at Temple University and Director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple. 

    “When it comes to the health benefits of walking, regular physical activity benefits both body and mind. Going to the gym or working with a personal trainer works for some, but walking is something most people can safely do, and it costs nothing.

    “Setting an achievable goal, even as little as 15 minutes per day, can have a significant impact.

    “For a while now health agencies such as the Center for Disease Control have told us that we need to walk at least 10,000 steps per day to get the health benefits of this activity. A number that is well above the average 2,500 to 3,000 steps that one takes regularly. However, surprisingly, some recent research suggests that at 8,000 steps / day the health benefits start to plateau.

    “So, should we forget the idea of 10,000 steps a day? Not so fast. Though some evidence suggests that even half of that number could be enough to help an individual live longer. While more steps are always better, researchers found that every extra 500 daily steps were associated with a 7% decreased risk in death from cardiovascular causes, and that every 1,000 daily steps were associated with a 15% decreased risk of death from all causes. Significant reduction in all-cause mortality was seen at 4,000 steps, but even 2,500 steps per day provided some health benefit.

    “Further confirming these findings, in another case, when scientists combined the results of a large number of studies, they discovered that with the increase of the number of daily steps there is a proportional lowering of the risk for cognitive decline and dementia, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

    “We can all make small lifestyle changes by adding more steps into the daily routine of the 2,000-3000 steps.

    “Some easy ways to reach this goal include taking an after dinner walk with a friend to chat about the day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, or walking your dog an extra block or make an extra circle around the block.

    “Find ways to get some extra movement in little ways throughout your day. For example, if you take mass transportation, get off one or two stops before yours and walk the rest of the way. If you drive, park your car one or two blocks away from where your destination is.

    “No matter which of these ideas you may choose, just remember that it does not matter at what age you start a regular walking daily routine, the health benefits are still there whether you are 50, 70, or 80 years old,” says Praticò.

     

    Domenico Praticò, MD, is the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research, Professor and Director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, and Professor of Pharmacology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

    You can find out more information on Dr. Domenico Pratico’s research papers here.

    Connect with Dr. Domenico Pratico on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

    Follow Dr Domenico Pratico‘s lab website here: Pratico Lab

     

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    Alzheimer’s Center at Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine

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  • New Alzheimer’s treatment shows cognitive gains

    New Alzheimer’s treatment shows cognitive gains

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    Newswise — ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, July 13, 2023 — Dr. Heather Sandison, a leading expert in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) care, has recently published a groundbreaking study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, highlighting significant improvements in cognitive function among individuals with cognitive decline. The study is the second to employ a multimodal, individualized care plan and offers further hope for managing and potentially reversing cognitive impairment.

    The study, “Improved Cognition in People with Cognitive Decline: A Multimodal Intervention Approach,” is published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Volume (94) Issue (3) and focused on individuals with objective cognitive impairment (OCI), a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Sandison and her team recruited 34 participants from the San Diego, CA area to receive a comprehensive intervention based on potential contributors to cognitive decline, such as lifestyle changes, nutraceutical support, and medications.

    Over the course of six months, the participants underwent regular clinical visits and received ongoing nutrition support through weekly phone calls. Cognitive function was assessed using the Cambridge Brain Sciences (CBS) battery and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline, one, three, and six months.

    The results of the study were highly encouraging. After six months of intervention, the participants demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive function. MoCA scores increased from 19.6 ± 3.1 to 21.7 ± 6.2 (p = 0.013), indicating enhanced cognitive performance. Moreover, significant improvements were observed across all domains of the CBS cognitive battery, including memory, reasoning, verbal ability, and concentration.

    Dr. Sandison commented, “It is so fulfilling to see patients improve and watch meaningful change not only for the patient but also their loved ones as they regain cognitive function. I’m hopeful these findings start the process of turning anecdotes into statistics and more patients begin to have access to this type of treatment.”

    The study’s results have important implications for the field of Alzheimer’s research and care. Currently, 6.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and this number is only growing. This study highlights the importance of addressing cognitive decline through a holistic and personalized approach, targeting various factors that contribute to the progression of the disease. The study demonstrates the feasibility and impact of a multimodal intervention approach to cognitive impairment.

    Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these findings. Dr. Sandison’s study represents a significant step forward in understanding and treating cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. It underscores the importance of personalized, comprehensive care for individuals with cognitive impairment and sets the stage for future advancements in the field.

     

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    IOS Press

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  • How Breast Milk Boosts the Brain

    How Breast Milk Boosts the Brain

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    Newswise — A new study by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University suggests that a micronutrient in human breast milk provides significant benefit to the developing brains of newborns, a finding that further illuminates the link between nutrition and brain health and could help improve infant formulas used in circumstances when breastfeeding isn’t possible.

    The study, published July 11 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS),  also paves the way to study what role this micronutrient might play in the brain as we age.

    Researchers found that the micronutrient, a sugar molecule called myo-inositol, was most prominent in human breast milk during the first months of lactation, when neuronal connections termed synapses are forming rapidly in the infant brain. This was true regardless of the mother’s ethnicity or background; the researchers profiled and compared human milk samples collected across sites in Mexico City, Shanghai, and Cincinnati by the Global Exploration of Human Milk study, which included healthy mothers of term singleton infants.

    Further testing using rodent models as well as human neurons showed that myo-inositol increased both the size and number of synaptic connections between neurons in the developing brain, indicating stronger connectivity.

    “Forming and refining brain connectivity from birth is guided by genetic and environmental forces as well as by human experiences,” says Thomas Biederer, senior scientist on the Neuroscience and Aging Team at the HNRCA, senior author on the study, and faculty member at the Yale School of Medicine, where he leads a research group in the Department of Neurology.

    Diet is one of the environmental forces that offers many opportunities for study. In early infancy, the brain may be particularly sensitive to dietary factors because the blood-brain barrier is more permeable, and small molecules taken in as food can more easily pass from the blood to the brain.

    “As a neuroscientist, it’s intriguing to me how profound the effects of micronutrients are on the brain,” says Biederer. “It’s also amazing how complex and rich human breast milk is, and I now think it is conceivable that its composition is dynamically changing to support different stages of infant brain development.”

    Similar levels of myo-inositol across women in very different geographic locations point to its generally important role in human brain development, he observes.

    Research by others has shown that brain inositol levels decline over time as infants develop. In adults, lower than normal brain inositol levels have been found in patients with major depressive disorders and bipolar disease. Genetic alterations in myo-inositol transporters have been linked to schizophrenia. In contrast, in people with Down’s syndrome and patients with Alzheimer’s disease and Down’s syndrome, higher than normal accumulations of myo-inositol have been identified.

    “The current research does indicate that for circumstances where breastfeeding is not possible, it may be beneficial to increase the levels of myo-inositol in infant formula,” Biederer says.

    However, Biederer says it is too soon to recommend that adults consume more myo-inositol, which can be found in significant quantities in certain grains, beans, bran, citrus fruits, and cantaloupe (but which is not present in great quantities in cow’s milk). “We don’t know why inositol levels are lower in adults with certain psychiatric conditions, or higher in those with certain other diseases,” he says.

    A host of research questions remain: Are lower inositol levels in people with depression or bipolar disease a cause of those diseases, or a side effect of drugs used to treat them? Do higher than normal levels in people with Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease suggest that too much myo-inositol is problematic? What is the “right” level of myo-inositol to have in one’s brain for optimal brain health at various stages of life?

    “My colleagues at the HNRCA and I are now pursuing research to test how micronutrients like myo-inositol may impact cells and connectivity in the aging brain,” says Biederer. “We hope this work leads to a better understanding of how dietary factors interplay with age-related brain aberrations.”

    This work was supported by Reckitt Benckiser / Mead Johnson Nutrition and a gift from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation. Complete information on authors, funders, methodology, and conflicts of interest is available in the published paper.

    The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of Reckitt Benckiser / Mead Johnson Nutrition or the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.

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    Tufts University

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  • $200,000 award for proof dogs can sniff Alzheimer’s disease, says Dr. Leslie Norins of Alzheimer’s Germ Quest

    $200,000 award for proof dogs can sniff Alzheimer’s disease, says Dr. Leslie Norins of Alzheimer’s Germ Quest

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    BYLINE: Leslie Norins, MD

    Newswise — Trained dogs can detect specific scents associated with several important diseases, so we need to find out if they could screen for Alzheimer’s disease, says Leslie Norins, MD, PhD, FIDSA, CEO of Alzheimer’s Germ Quest. He says that’s why his group is posting a $200,000 challenge award (OpEdist.com) for convincing evidence of this canine ability. 

    Alzheimer’s disease is a serious health problem; the Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 6.7 million Americans living with the condition.

    Dr. Norins explains that there is presently no inexpensive, easy-to-use screening test for this form of dementia, nor for mild cognitive impairment, a condition which is a possible harbinger of it.

    Dogs’ noses are about three times as sensitive as human ones for odor detection, He notes familiar uses of these abilities include bloodhounds for tracking criminals and sniffer dogs to detect narcotics and explosives.

    Less well known to the public, Dr. Norins says, is that canines have been trained to spot, fairly accurately, several medical conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, cancer, malaria, TB, and, more recently, COVID-19.

    The molecules the dogs are detecting are believed to be volatile organic compounds, familiarly called VOC.  They can be found in easy-to-obtain patient samples like urine, saliva, breath, and sweat. 

    Dr. Norins stresses that to train dogs to recognize a disease’s scent, it is not necessary to understand why these VOC are produced.  He cautions there is no assurance Alzheimer’s-specific scent molecules exist, or that dogs can detect them.  

    He urges organizations with trainable sniffer dogs to collaborate with medical groups which can supply non-intrusive samples from Alzheimer’s patients.

    Dr. Norins emphasizes that challenge awards are not research grants and are offered for convincing achievement of results rather than conducting explorations. The Alzheimer’s sniffer dog quest ends December 31, 2024. Details are posted at OpEdist.com.

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    OpEdist LLC

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  • One pill doesn’t fit all: cholesterol study reveals effects on lung function and brain size

    One pill doesn’t fit all: cholesterol study reveals effects on lung function and brain size

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    Newswise — One of the world’s largest studies on the impact of cholesterol-lowering medication has highlighted an issue with a new class of drugs that could impair lung function in some patients.

    That’s the finding from a recent University of South Australia study, the first in the world to compare cholesterol lowering medications (LDL-C drugs) to a range of clinical and heart and brain MRI biomarkers.

    Genetic data from 340,000 UK Biobank participants was analysed to explore the risks and benefits of LDL-C drugs. The outcomes have been published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

    In the vast number of cases, medication prescribed for high cholesterol does what it promises: significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and age-related diseases. It does not cause any other adverse health conditions except diarrhoea in some people.

    However, lipid lowering medications that clear cholesterol from the cells – known as PCSK9 inhibitors – could impair lung function and further studies are needed on their long-term side effects, researchers say.

    Genetic variants reflecting another cholesterol lowering medication, statins, were found to correlate with higher BMI and body fat, as well as reduced testosterone. Statins are the most common cholesterol lowering medication prescribed.

    One unexpected benefit of taking statins was found, with some people seeing an increase in brain volume of the hippocampus, which may reduce the risk of dementia and depression.

    UniSA PhD student Kitty Pham, lead author of the paper, says the findings highlight the importance of delving deeper to understand potential long-term effects of different medications.

     “Our study reveals associations with lung function and brain size, which may influence how these drugs are prescribed or repurposed in the future,” Pham says. “These findings help us to understand how people may react to different drugs and assess the viability of new drug pathways.”

    Compared to statins, which inhibit the production of cholesterol, PCSK9 drugs destroy cholesterol in the cells. The latter are a newer class of drug so less is known about their long-term safety.

    Chief investigator Professor Elina Hypponen, Centre Director of the Australian Centre for Precision Health at UniSA, says genetic information was used to compare the outcomes of a range of LDL-C lowering drugs, working in different ways.

    “This normally would not be practical in a clinical trial or for such a large sample size, but genetic analyses such as the one we have conducted can really help with drug safety profiling by uncovering links with diseases and biomarkers,” Prof Hypponen says.

    Notes to editors

    More than 200 million people around the world take statin drugs for their heart health, according to John Hopkins Medicine.

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    University of South Australia

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  • AAN to Provide Testimony on Capitol Hill on New Alzheimer’s Drugs

    AAN to Provide Testimony on Capitol Hill on New Alzheimer’s Drugs

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    Newswise — MINNEAPOLIS – As the primary medical specialty that provides care to people with Alzheimer’s disease, the American Academy of Neurology has been invited to testify on Capitol Hill before members of the United States House of Representatives on new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease.

    American Academy of Neurology President Elect Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAHA, will present testimony.

    House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) will hold a subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 10:30 ET at the Rayburn House Office Building titled “Innovation Saves Lives: Evaluating Medicare Coverage Pathways for Innovative Drugs, Medical Devices, and Technology.”  

    Rost will address new monoclonal antibody therapies recently approved for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease, particularly how the recent Food and Drug Administration approval for lecanemab and the coverage determination by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services impact Medicare patients’ access to this drug. For more than two years, the AAN has been engaged with CMS and other key stakeholders with the goal of modifying coverage restrictions in order to ensure appropriate access to new therapies.

    “As neurologists who treat disorders of the brain, we know just how devastating Alzheimer’s disease can be for our patients and their families,” said Rost. “While we understand the promise that monoclonal antibody treatments for Alzheimer’s hold, we remain concerned about the potentially deadly side effects of these drugs—including swelling or bleeding of the brain. The goal of the American Academy of Neurology’s advocacy has always been to ensure appropriate access to new therapies for those people with neurologic disorders who may benefit from them. We appreciate this opportunity to discuss this important topic with the Subcommittee.”

    The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed July 18 starting at 10:30 a.m. ET at https://energycommerce.house.gov/events/health-subcommittee-hearing-innovation-saves-lives-evaluating-medicare-coverage-pathways-for-innovative-drugs-medical-devices-and-technology  

    When posting to social media channels, we encourage you to use the hashtags #AANscience and #AANadvocacy.

    The American Academy of Neurology is the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 40,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. 

    For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit AAN.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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    American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

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  • AI tool could speed up dementia diagnosis

    AI tool could speed up dementia diagnosis

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    • A new digital tool that is able to look for early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease more quickly and efficiently developed by University of Sheffield researchers with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research

    • CognoSpeak uses artificial intelligence and speech technology to automatically analyse language and speech patterns that could warrant further specialist investigation and be early signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease 

    • Research has found the tool is as accurate at predicting Alzheimer’s as the current pen-and-paper-based assessments

    • Tool is now being trialled more widely as researchers are recruiting 700 patients from memory clinics across the UK to develop the system further

    • CognoSpeak could help patients start treatments sooner and reduce the burden on dementia assessment services by freeing up valuable specialist time, improving access to care and aiding earlier diagnosis

    Newswise — A new AI tool that could help doctors assess the early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s more quickly and efficiently, has been developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield.

    The system, known as CognoSpeak, uses a virtual agent displayed on a screen to engage a patient in a conversation. It asks memory-probing questions inspired by those used in outpatient consultations and conducts cognitive tests, such as picture descriptions and verbal fluency tests.

    The tool then uses artificial intelligence and speech technology to analyse language and speech patterns to look for signs of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders.

    Researchers behind the technology say CognoSpeak could play a key role in reducing the burden on dementia assessment services, once further testing in GP and secondary care memory clinics across the UK is complete.

    The system is being designed to work in between primary and secondary care. This means that once fully rolled out, a GP could refer a person with memory complaints to use the technology. CognoSpeak would send the test results back to the GP and then they would decide whether they need to refer the patient to a memory clinic for further assessment.

    CognoSpeak can be accessed through a web browser – meaning patients are able to take the test in the comfort of their home via a computer, laptop or tablet, rather than having to wait for a hospital appointment to take a pen-and-paper-based assessment, which can often cause undue stress and anxiety.

    Early trials have shown the technology is as accurate at predicting Alzheimer’s as the current pen-and-paper-based tests used to assess or screen for cognitive, memory or thinking impairments. The team has demonstrated accuracies of 90 per cent for distinguishing people with Alzheimer’s from people that are cognitively healthy.

    Developed by Dr Dan Blackburn and Professor Heidi Christensen from the University of Sheffield’s Departments of Neuroscience and Computer Science, the CognoSpeak system is still in the research phase, but thanks to a £1.4 million grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the technology is being trialled more widely. The researchers are recruiting 700 participants from memory clinics across the UK to help develop the system further.

    Dr Dan Blackburn, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Neuroscience, said: “Waiting for a possible diagnosis of dementia can be a very anxious time for patients and their families. This tool could help patients start treatments sooner, reduce waiting times and give people certainty earlier.

    “The CognoSpeak system could transform how dementia and other memory disorders are diagnosed by speeding up assessments. This would also free-up clinicians’ valuable time and mean that those who need specialist care get access to it as quickly as possible.”

    Professor Heidi Christensen from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Computer Science, said: “The way a person speaks can tell us a great deal about their cognitive health and emotional wellbeing, and give us a very early indication of any signs of cognitive decline that may not otherwise have been detected. The system we’ve developed here at Sheffield uses speech technology to automatically extract these signs and the automation means we can provide a consistent, accurate and fast assessment for everyone.

    “CognoSpeak is advanced, high tech and based on world leading research in this field. We have the biggest collection of data for this type of assessment anywhere in the world, which we’re using to advance the technology and improve its accuracy.”

    The CognoSpeak tool has been developed in collaboration with Therapy Box – a company specialising in speech and language technology – and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Devices for Dignity MedTech Cooperative (D4D), who are leading work with patients, families and ethnic minority community groups to ensure that the AI is acceptable, reliable and accessible for all future users.

    The research team is also working to make the tool accessible to patients from ethnic minority communities who are less likely to engage with dementia services and who may speak English as an additional language.

    Lise Sproson, Patient and Public Involvement Lead at D4D said: “We are working closely with a broad range of community groups, including Sheffield’s Israac Somali Community Association, to co-develop the look and feel of the CognoSpeak system, to ensure it is acceptable, relatable and easy to use.

    “We are training the AI with a range of regional UK accents and those speaking English as an additional language, in order to maintain the accuracy it has previously demonstrated on tests with native English speakers across the population as a whole.”

    Dr Blackburn, who is also an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and researcher at NIHR Sheffield BRC, added: “There is a real clinical need for this kind of technology. There are long waiting lists for memory clinics across the UK, but there are also inequalities in accessing the memory clinics service. The CognoSpeak tool can reduce these inequalities and help make the service more efficient.”

    There are currently around 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and this is projected to almost double by 2040, according to the Alzheimer’s Society. Referrals for assessment are increasing rapidly and memory clinics often have long waiting lists. 

    Professor Mike Lewis, Director of NIHR’s i4i Programme, said “Cognospeak is an innovative example of how digital health technology can transform the way we tackle conditions like dementia, helping to find ways to make it easier to find and assess patients to ensure they get access to the right treatment and support”.

    Patients are being recruited to the CognoSpeak trial through memory clinics across the UK. To take part in the trial, visit www.cognospeak.com.

    Ends

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    University of Sheffield

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